How do you take an asbestos sample?
Read clear instructions for taking an asbestos sample: where to take it from, how to pack it and how to send it to the laboratory.
Read more →52 articles
Knowledge base about asbestos
A complete knowledge base about asbestos: analysis, sampling, safety, materials, legislation, and renovation.
Sampling and posting
Can you take an asbestos sample yourself?
Can you take an asbestos sample yourself and send it to the laboratory? Read when that works and what to watch out for.
Read more →How many asbestos samples do you need to take?
Take one asbestos sample per distinct material, layer build-up and renovation era, not one per room. See how to count and practical examples.
Read more →How to protect yourself when taking an asbestos sample yourself
Asbestos protection when sampling: FFP3 respirator, coveralls, gloves, wetting the spot and correct cleaning. Also learn when not to take the sample yourself.
Read more →Packing an asbestos sample
This is how to pack an asbestos sample properly before sending it to the laboratory. Read the practical instructions and avoid the common mistakes.
Read more →Asbestos sample by post
Can you send an asbestos sample by post? Yes. Read clear instructions on packing, labelling and posting a sample to the laboratory.
Read more →Analysis and results
What is an asbestos analysis?
What does an asbestos analysis mean, how is it done and when do you need one? Read the clear guide and order an asbestos sample analysis easily.
Read more →Asbestos analysis methods: PLM, SEM-EDS, TEM and XRD
Asbestos is analysed with polarised light microscopy (PLM), SEM-EDS, TEM and XRD. Learn what each method shows and what Onelab uses.
Read more →The price of an asbestos analysis
What does an asbestos analysis cost? Read what makes up the price and how to compare asbestos sample analysis services sensibly.
Read more →How much does an asbestos analysis cost?
Looking for a quick answer on the price of an asbestos analysis? See what makes up the cost and how to order one.
Read more →How long does an asbestos analysis take?
We analyse your asbestos sample and email the result on the day it arrives at the laboratory. See what makes up the total time.
Read more →Interpreting the asbestos result
What does an asbestos analysis result mean in practice? Read how to interpret it and what to do next.
Read more →Asbestos content: what does "contains asbestos" mean?
A material that contains asbestos is treated as asbestos even when the fibre content is low. Learn why content varies and what the lab report shows.
Read more →Positive asbestos result: what do I do next?
Asbestos found in your sample? Leave the material intact, define the removal area, get a quote from an authorised removal company and keep the records.
Read more →Materials
Where can asbestos be found?
Where can asbestos occur? Read about the most common materials and structures in which asbestos was used in Finland.
Read more →Can you identify asbestos by sight? What asbestos looks like
Asbestos cannot be identified by sight, smell or a home test. See what suspect materials look like and how asbestos is confirmed in a laboratory.
Read more →Asbestos in vinyl flooring
Worried about old vinyl flooring or floor adhesive? Read how asbestos in flooring materials is confirmed.
Read more →Asbestos in adhesive: black flooring adhesive and bitumen glue
Black bitumen-based flooring adhesive is a reason to test, but colour proves neither asbestos nor its absence. How to sample the flooring and adhesive.
Read more →Asbestos in tile adhesive
Tiles coming off? Read how asbestos in tile adhesive is confirmed before the work starts.
Read more →Asbestos in parquet adhesive: sanding, removal and sampling
The adhesive under old parquet can contain asbestos; the wood cannot. Learn which parquet jobs reach the adhesive and how to sample under the parquet.
Read more →Asbestos in wall filler
Planning to take out, sand or refurbish a wall? Read how asbestos in wall filler is tested.
Read more →Asbestos in walls: filler, board or tile adhesive?
Asbestos in a wall can be in filler, paint, tile adhesive, wall boards or wallpaper paste. Here is how to take one sample that includes every layer.
Read more →Asbestos in paint: which paints and coatings should be tested?
Old paint, thick coatings and bitumen paints can contain asbestos. See which painting jobs break the surface and how to take a sample of the paint.
Read more →Asbestos in mortar: render, masonry mortar and grout
Asbestos can be found in render and in masonry, tile-bedding and grout mortars. See which mortars to test and how to sample hard or crumbly mortar.
Read more →Asbestos in sealants and window putty
Old panel joint sealants, window putty and sealants around frames can contain asbestos. How to take a sample before window renovation or resealing joints.
Read more →Is there asbestos in mineral wool or insulation?
Glass wool and stone wool are not asbestos products, but pipe and boiler lagging, sprayed insulation and old insulation boards can be. How to test insulation.
Read more →Asbestos cement and "mineriitti" boards: identification, sampling and disposal
Asbestos cement was used in roofs, façades and wet-room boards. Modern fibre-cement board looks the same, so only a sample tells you for sure.
Read more →Asbestos in drain pipes: how to recognise an asbestos cement pipe
An old drain can be asbestos cement, cast iron, concrete or plastic. How to tell the pipes apart and take a sample before a pipe renovation or relining.
Read more →Asbestos in fire protection: sprayed coatings, boards, fire doors and seals
Asbestos can be found in sprayed fire protection, fireproof boards, fire doors, old fuse boards and firestop seals. Here is how each material is tested.
Read more →Asbestos in fireplaces and stoves: gaskets, heat shields and flue joints
In a fireplace, asbestos can be in door gaskets, heat shield boards, flue joint sealant or repair mortar. Here is how to test a fireplace, oven or stove.
Read more →Is there asbestos in concrete?
Concrete is not a typical asbestos material, but asbestos may have been added to cast-in-place concrete, and fillers and adhesives on it can contain asbestos.
Read more →Buildings and renovations
Asbestos in an old house
Old house and a renovation coming up? Read where asbestos may be and how to confirm it before the work starts.
Read more →Asbestos in a Finnish post-war house: where can it be?
In a Finnish post-war house, asbestos is usually in later renovation layers: vinyl floors, adhesives, fillers and insulation. See the room-by-room list.
Read more →Asbestos in apartment buildings: where is it and who is responsible?
In an apartment building, asbestos can be in the flat’s surfaces and in shared structures. Find out when the shareholder or the housing company checks it.
Read more →Asbestos in a summer cottage: where should you look?
At a summer cottage, asbestos is often in boards, roofing felt and stove seals. Go building by building to see where to sample before repairs.
Read more →Asbestos in the sauna: stove board, flue or tile adhesive?
In a sauna, asbestos can be in the boards behind the stove, flue penetrations, seals and tile adhesive. Here is how to take a sample before renovating.
Read more →Asbestos in the bathroom
Bathroom renovation coming up? Read which bathroom materials may contain asbestos and how to confirm it.
Read more →Asbestos in pipe renovation: what does it break open?
A pipe renovation breaks open wet-room surfaces, pipe boxing, insulation and penetrations. How asbestos is checked and what a shareholder can test.
Read more →Asbestos in a renovation: how to check before demolition
Asbestos in a renovation is checked before demolition. Spot the risk materials, take a sample or order a survey, and see what to do if asbestos turns up mid-job.
Read more →Asbestos when buying a home: what to ask and when to test
Asbestos when buying a home: what to ask the seller and property manager, how a sample fits the sale timetable and what the result tells buyer and seller.
Read more →Law, permits and removal
Asbestos and legislation in Finland
What does asbestos legislation mean in practice for a renovation or a strip-out? Read a clear summary.
Read more →Asbestos permits: which permits and notifications does asbestos removal need?
Asbestos removal needs a permit for the company, qualified workers and advance notification to the occupational safety authority. Here is who does what.
Read more →When was asbestos banned in Finland?
When was asbestos banned in Finland? The use of asbestos was banned in 1994. Learn why it still affects renovations and how you can test for asbestos.
Read more →Asbestos survey vs asbestos analysis
What is the difference between an asbestos survey and an asbestos analysis? Read a clear comparison and pick the right service for your situation.
Read more →When is an asbestos survey needed?
When do you need an asbestos survey or an asbestos analysis? Read a clear guide to planning a renovation and removal work.
Read more →Asbestos waste disposal: where does asbestos waste go and what does it cost?
Asbestos waste disposal requires tight packaging and the right reception site. Learn where asbestos waste goes, what affects the price and why to test first.
Read more →Asbestos and health
Asbestos fibres: what are they and why are they dangerous?
An asbestos fibre is an invisible mineral fibre that splits lengthwise into ever thinner strands. Learn when fibres are released and how a lab identifies them.
Read more →Serpentine and amphibole: the two mineral groups of asbestos
Asbestos is divided into serpentine (chrysotile) and amphiboles. Learn how the groups differ in structure and chemistry, and how a lab tells them apart.
Read more →Asbestos in nature: where does asbestos come from?
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that forms in nature. Learn which rocks it occurs in, how it ended up in buildings and what that means for you.
Read more →The history of asbestos in Finland: from Paakkila to today
Finland mined its own asbestos at Paakkila and used it in construction from the 1920s to 1994. Here is how that history shows in old buildings.
Read more →Asbestos exposure: symptoms and health risks
Symptoms of asbestos exposure usually appear only decades later. Read about asbestos-related diseases, how hazardous each type is and how to avoid the risk.
Read more →Asbestos and safety
Read a clear guide to asbestos safety, sampling and how to keep dust from spreading.
Read more →Do you need an asbestos analysis?
Order a laboratory analysis of your asbestos sample easily online. Results are delivered on the day the sample arrives.